Finance committee

Huu-ay-aht First Nations would like to welcome Donna Tourand to the team.

Donna filled a new Chief Financial Officer position with the Nation, beginning on Jan. 11, 2016.

Donna will take the reins of the Finance Department, and she brings with her an extensive background that will help contribute to the Nations’ success in the future.

“On behalf of the Huu-ay-aht administration, we want to welcome Donna to our senior management team as our new Chief Financial Officer,” explained acting Executive Director Karen Haugen. “Donna brings to our team strong financial background in both her knowledge, experience and education as a CPA/CGA. She is a great asset to our team, and we look forward to having her as part of our administration.”

Donna was born on Vancouver Island, but raised mainly in Northern B.C. Early in her life, she decided to switch her focus from her studies at university to work and raising her son, Justin.

“This life-altering shift changed my personal priorities, so I joined the workforce full time and put my education on hold temporarily.”

As a result, Donna brings to the job a varied and extensive background. She worked for several years in the forest industry, but she switched after a while to being a controller for Rip Curl Canada when the forest industry started its downward turn in the early 2000s.

Eventually her travels brought her back to Vancouver Island in the mid-2000s, when she started working for a local accounting firm, Canet and Co. She remained there for eight years, but in 2009 she decided to return to school after her 22-year break. She attended Vancouver Island University and completed her Bachelor of Business Administration degree in accounting.

After graduation, she started working as a controller at Hetherington Industries, while finishing her Chartered Professional Accountant and Certified General Accountant designations.

It was after her successful completion of these programs that she realized she was ready for the next step in her professional career. That led her to apply for the CFO position with Huu-ay-aht.

“I am honored to have been accepted for this position and look forward to working with everyone,” she said. “I am excited about the challenges my new position will offer me.”

Donna is married, and has one son, two step-children and three grandchildren. Her time away from work is never boring with a beautiful silver seven-month-old lab puppy keeping her running when her grandchildren are not. The other love of her life is her 26-year-old horse who has been a constant companion no matter where life took her.

Please help Huu-ay-aht administration and Executive Council welcome Donna to the team.

Executive Councillor member Jack Cook grew up in Port Alberni. He has resided in Bamfield, Port Alberni, Nanaimo, Victoria and Vancouver.

His experience spans an extensive career in employment outreach and Human Resources Programs for Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal People. He has worked as a program coordinator at the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council/NETB (10 years) setting up, delivering and reviewing the Employment and Training Programs for First Nation communities and organizations as a result of the Aboriginal Human Resource Development Agreement (AHRDA) between the Service Canada and North Island/Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council Aboriginal Management Society (NI/NTCAMS).

While employed with the Canada Employment Insurance Commission (C.E.I.C) as a project ofﬁcer for about 14 years, he did consultation, assessment, negotiation and promotion of employment programs within local government and community organizations. He was also required to do site visits, ensure effectiveness, measure impact, give recommendations for programs, negotiate on proposals for funding, as well as make sure that legal requirements were satisﬁed.

He was the manager of the Huu-ay-aht First Nations band office (Ohiaht) in Bamﬁeld for five months (1993-1994). He has been involved in the drafting of Emergency Preparedness Plans. He has done research, reviewed, developed and drafted education policies and procedures for K to 12 and Post-Secondary Education, Forestry, Terms of Reference for Huu-ay-aht Economic Development, Finance and Treaty Implementation Committees. Elected as a member of the Huu-ay-aht Executive Council in June 2011, his portfolios include: Chair of Nananiiqsu Grandparents society, Finance committee, alternate for Co-operative Management with Parks Canada, Infrastructure committee and Treaty Implementation, Maa-nulth Director.

Jack has taken training in building construction and cooking. Travelling for both business and pleasure is one of his passions. He has been to Japan, Spain, Portugal and the USA. He is also active in sports and as an assistant coach.

He has been married to Deborah Cook for 42 years and has two daughters, one son and four grandchildren.